Truly Blessed

A friend of mine from high school is currently in India with a group to train and teach life skills.  Every day she graces us with a piece of her adventures.  Now you would have to know her, but she is the sweetest person in the world, and her heart is so big.  She has dealt with her own life issues, losing her husband at an early age to cancer and raising her young children all by herself.  But she didn't feel sorry for herself, she gave back.  And gave back, and gave back. 

Today she wrote about teaching young children to wash their hands and brush their teeth, and looked up to see their mothers standing in pouring rain, pressed up against the doorway, straining to hear every word.  Every mother wants what is best for their child, and yet in so many places in the world, they are limited.

I have been thinking about what I have and what others don't have the past couple of days.  Destinee's companion had this picture of their shower on her blog, and I couldn't help but be proud of her for being willing to serve in Guatemala despite the trials, and the health issues she had before and during her mission.  She loves those people, and she loves the Lord enough.

I have also thought a lot lately about individual trials, and how my kids have handled them.  A year ago we were experiencing one of those trials.  My husband went in for hip surgery and we thought it would be like his first one.  It was not.  He didn't handle any of the medication well, and despite being totally incoherent and having an allergic reaction, they made us take him home.  He was throwing up, couldn't stand well, dizzy and pretty sick.  I wish I had known then to fight harder.  I told them to keep him and they said no.  I complied.

When we got him home, he got worse.  I spent every day and night wondering if I would lose my husband to stupid medications.  They were things he needed like blood thinners, antibiotics, etc.  He couldn't keep anything down, couldn't get out of bed, and was covered from head to toe in rashes.  I felt so alone--except for the wonderful home health care.  It is probably my own fault because I am not one to "need" anything and can "do" everything by myself  But I did learn a few things during that trial.  I learned that sometimes things happen and we need to rely totally upon the Lord, and sometimes His angels.  I learned that sometimes people just need to know that they are not alone.  And in my darkest hour, I was once again reminded that there is always light, even if it doesn't come when we expect it or in the way we want it to.

Our trials are nothing compared to those out in the world, and we are truly a blessed people, but it doesn't make it any easier.  The Atonement was for us, and our life lessons are for us, and we need to take those trials and turn them into something good like my friend has.  I am thankful for her example, and for her JOY in life.  Yes, I am truly blessed.

Third time’s the charm

I don't know how I got to this article tonight but it involves a mission to Guatemala and then a mission to the Anaheim Spanish Speaking mission.  I truly believe the Lord directed me to it.

Third time’s the charm

Thursday, 22 January 2009

graphic by Kathleen Majdali “Dear Elder Kaimikaua, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the…” was Trevor Kaimikaua’s third time reading a mission call. The former freshman at BYU-Hawaii who is from Makakilo got his first mission call in 2006, another in 2007, and now in 2008, he has received a third mission call. In 2006, Kaimikaua received his mission call to serve in the Guatemala City North Mission and was to report to the Guatemala MTC on Nov. 22. Excited by the call, his parents called friends and family to gather together to share in their sons’ special. “I was excited for him and his parents because he’s an only child and the only grandson on his father’s side,” said Leiha Enos, cousin of Elder Kaimikaua from Makakilo. Before heading to the Guatemala MTC, family, friends, and ward members gathered together at the Honolulu airport to see Elder Kaimikaua off on his mission. “I felt sad that he was leaving because he’s my only cousin on my mom’s side. I was sad that I wouldn’t see him for two years,” recalled Kalei Hoa Paceho. However, Sisylina Peterson, a close family-friend to the Kaimikauas’, recalled the moment when the phone rang with some surprising news about the new missionary. “My Aunty Chauna answered the phone. She stood there for a moment silent then hung up the phone. She turned to me and said that Trevor is flying in tomorrow morning,” said Peterson. After only one week on his mission, Elder Kaimikaua returned home. “I felt that I had to take care of some personal things before I could continue my mission,” said Elder Kaimikaua “My mission president asked if I wanted to do it in the MTC, but I felt like I should just return home and handle it.” Kevin Kaimikaua, his father, said, “I didn’t know what to think when I got a phone call from my son and his mission president saying he would be returning home. I love my son and support him in anything decision he makes.” In mid-2007, several months after returning home, Elder Kaimikaua re-submitted his mission papers. “I got my mission call about three weeks after I submitted it. I was called to the same mission, Guatemala City North Mission,” said Elder K. “This time I was to report to the MTC in Utah.” Elder Kaimikaua reported to the Provo MTC and stayed there for two months before heading to Guatemala. “The second time around, he was enjoying his mission and fell in love with the people. I could see in his letters that his testimony was growing each and every day,” said LeiAnn Kaimikaua, Elder Kaimikaua’s mother. Stevie Yates, one of Elder Kaimikaua’s friends, said, “On Mother’s Day he called my house because his whole family was there for a Mother’s Day dinner we put on. Everyone there got to talk to him.” But Yates added that on the Wednesday after Mother’s Day, Elder Kaimikaua’s father called saying Trevor would be coming home the next morning. “I was shocked by the news that he was coming home again,” said Howard Vinhasa, one of Kaimikaua’s cousin. “At least this time he was in the field for 11 months.” One of Elder K’s best friends, Jared Faumuina, explained what caused the missionary to return home a second time: “When on the mission, Elder Kaimikaua found a lump. He told his mission president about it and they went to the doctors to check things out. The results came back that it was a tumor, but the doctor didn’t know if it was cancerous or not.” So Elder Kaimikaua returned home in Summer 2008 due to medical reasons. “I was so mad that I had to go home,” he said. “I wish I could have done it up there, but my mission president wanted me to check things out at home with the support from family and friends.” “A couple of days later after seeing the doctor, I had surgery to remove the tumor. The doctor still had to find out if it was cancer,” he continued. “The doctor called me back in along with my parents. He told us it was cancer.” After finding out it was cancer, Kaimikaua’s family called their bishopric of their home ward. The second counselor, Sapena Faumuina, asked the ward family to do a 24-hour fast in Elder Kaimikaua’s behalf, four days before he was to start his chemotherapy. “I was touched when the room was full of not just ward members, but family members from all around the island and members from the stake. His friends were all there and all helped with the program in some way,” said Clarence Piena, his uncle. “The spirit was so strong after we closed the meeting.” Davin Kane, a distant family member said, “It was nice to see all those people there willing the give up three meals. That shows the love we all have for Trevor.” After an intense three months of chemotherapy, Elder Kaimikaua was expected to fully recover. “I wasn’t sure if I would be able to return on a mission, but my mission president always kept in touch through this whole ordeal,” said Elder Kaimikaua. After losing 20 pounds and his hair, his mother describes the changes she could see in her son: “I could see that he was gaining his appetite back and his hair was starting to grow back little by little.” She also added, “We weren’t sure what was in store in his future so he decided to apply to school [at BYU-Hawaii] just in case.” Elder Kaimikaua said, “I told myself when I was applying for school that whatever call came back to me first, I would do. So if I got accepted into school then I’ll go to school. But if I got my mission call first, and then I’d go back on a mission and finish my two years.” Kaimikaua added, “I got my mission call this past weekend and I leave in a week. I got called to serve in the Anaheim, California-Spanish speaking Mission. So I leave on Monday, Nov. 17. I’m going to serve for 13 months, the remainder of what’s left on my mission.”

The modesty issue--leggings

UGH!  Once again the subject of modesty is getting debated.  I just read an article on leggings and if they are modest or not.  IMO if all you are wearing is a pair of leggins, you probably are immodest.  First, if you are a female, it is immodest to go topless.  Secondly, if you are male, well, it is probably immodest to wear leggings anywhere.

One comment that I enjoyed was "If all you have to do in your life is look and judge what others are wearing, then holy cow! "You must be one of the lucky few on this earth." Life is too short and there are so many more important things too worry about in life than leggings, with or without a knee length dress. Styles and trends come and go so fast as does youth. "Teach a man correct principles and let him govern himself" Joseph Smith. I also think that youth today need more adults to be advocates for them than judges of them."

I wish the people in my daughter's life were advocates of Joseph Smith's advice--to teach correct principles and let people govern themselves.  So many people here in the "bubble" (new term I learned from comments describing Utah) worry more about rules than they do about missionary work.  If you want to share the Gospel, teach the Gospel, and help a young man or lady to feel the Spirit, you focus on teaching them, rather than judging them.  If you get them to FEEL the Spirit, to have a testimony, THEN they will govern themselves and learn the principles.  BUT, if you impose rules, you will get rebellion, and the principles may never be taught, and you might lose a member.

We have a few kids in our ward who have fallen by the wayside, or chose to not attend Church in our ward or go to YM/YWs because of the rules implemented.  Twice my daughter has been told to not wear shorts or capris, and if she chose to, she was not welcome.  I can't imagine either of my missionaries telling a new convert this.  I feel as if I am in a constant spiritual struggle with some members who care more about "rules" than they do about my daughter's salvation.  Everything she learns about the Gospel has to come from home, because she has so many forces against her in the place she should feel the Spirit.

Anyway, enough of my rant and back to the leggings.  Why would leggings be immodest?  THEY COVER UP FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!  So, a T-shirt is immodest because it sometimes is used to cover up areas another shirt does not cover???  It is all so ridiculous to me.

I like what one woman said: "If we are critical about their appearance, rather than welcoming, we might hurt their feelings and drive them away. I'm always so happy to see folks at church that I don't worry too much about what they're wearing."

Happy 4th of July

Life is funny.  Last year at this time I thought my heart would never stop hurting.  Destinee and Kade left on their missions, Tyler was getting ready to move out, and Kiana had girls camp for a week.  I remember being all  by myself for that week and thinking about what it would be like when my kids were all grown and gone.  It will be different.  A lot of my friends are now empty nesters.  They love it.  I sometimes wonder why.  I gave up everything to be a mom.  I quit school, gave up a career, and gave my life over to them.  I don't regret one single moment.  They have never disappointed me.  I am sure I have made plenty of mistakes in raising them, but they are my life.

Today I feel very thankful that I live in the place I do.  I am thankful for the freedoms I have.  I am thankful that I did have a choice of religion, and that I did end up at BYU, and did finally read the Book of Mormon.  I am thankful that I do have a testimony.  I wonder what my life would have been like if I had a testimony in high school and had taken Seminary.  I would have been so much further in my spiritual progression! And as much as I wanted to get out of Utah when I was younger, I am so thankful for my ancestors and their choices that placed me here.  I love where I live now.

Today is missionary email day, at least it will be for Destinee.  I am not sure if Kade will have P-day today, but I am guessing he will.  He does email from the Apple Store, so maybe I will hear from him too.  I love Mondays.  I love hearing form my kids and having that connection for just a tiny bit of time each week.  I love reading my facebook on Monday too and seeing all of the wonderful posts from my high school friends about their missionaries.  I also love to share a bit of "missionary spirit" on my facebook for those friends and family who are not members, or who are not active members, or even for those who have recently become active.

We are doing a new thing for the 4th today.  We are having Greek food.  With my parents and sister's family in Hawaii, we decided to do our own thing.  Tyler wanted to cook Greek food, so we are going with that.  We have decided that we are making a new tradition, Ethnic Day.  It may be on the 24th in the coming years, but will include the different dishes my kids have learned on their missions, or in language studies.  Tyler had Greek food in Germany, and I am sure next year Destinee or Kade will want to contribute something from their missions.  Destinee already has learned a few different cuisines.  It will be a good day.

Happy 4th, and HAPPY MISSIONARY MONDAY!

"it's just clothes after all!!"

"it's just clothes after all!!"  I just read this on a missionary blog about investigators who didn't make it into the Church building because of what they were wearing.  In the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST, when did what we wear keep a person from attending meetings?  When did clothing become more important than the worth of souls?

Studying Preach My Gospel

my missionary son has been studying Preach My Gospel, chapter 6, Developing Christlike Attributes.  I decided to also study it.

"Christlike attributes are gifts from God. They come as you use your agency righteously.
Ask your Heavenly Father to bless you with these attributes; you cannot develop them
without His help. With a desire to please God, recognize your weaknesses and be willing
and anxious to improve."

I love how we are told that they are GIFTS from God, and that they come as we use our AGENCY.  If we want the present given to us, we must be willing to receive it.

Happy One Year Anniversary!!

A year ago today, we packed up the car with suitcases, the family, and two missionaries.  What a wonderful year it has been!!!  I miss them terribly, but I am also happy they are where they are, doing what they are doing.  I wouldn't have it any other way!!